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Buzz Interviews Cami Warner of Bombshell Boudoir Intimate Photography

As long as I can remember, I’ve always had a camera in my hand, taking pictures of anything and everything I possibly could. I started taking photography classes in High School and then later in college. I loved photography and could not get enough of it. Other than the few professional classes I’ve taken, I’m a self-taught photographer.
I officially opened Bombshell Boudoir about a year and a half ago. At the time of opening my business, my husband was deployed and for an anniversary gift I decided to do a boudoir shoot of my own for him. I was somewhat intrigued by the idea of boudoir but wasn’t too keen of being in front of the camera especially in lingerie.
I had a very poor body image of myself and although I’m the type of person that likes to try anything once, I was unsure about pictures of my body. I am so beyond happy I went for it and did the boudoir shoot; I had no idea that shoot would be more of a gift to myself than it would be to my husband.

It was at sunset on a Friday afternoon that my life completely changed. I was on a beach in Malibu in lingerie with cars honking and BBQers staring at me in these sexy positions. That’s when it hit me. I didn’t only want, but I needed to be a boudoir photographer! This photographer I hired had taken this broken woman with the worst body image of herself possible and turned her into an empowered woman so sure of herself and ready to take on the world. I felt amazing and saw myself as an attractive woman. That was the first time I had loved myself in years. I had no idea that is what boudoir really was. I thought it was only for the super model looking types that wanted sexy images of themselves. It’s not! It is for very one and every body. Male, female, trans, it does not matter! Everyone deserves to feel amazing and sexy in the skin they are in.

The night after my own boudoir shoot, I called all my female friends and begged them to let me take boudoir images for them. My sister was the first one to allow me to practice on her. She was patient and allowed me to express myself through my newfound love of boudoir. I was able to take my time and not stop until I got the shot I saw in my head. Along with my sister, I also had the support of my husband. They encouraged me and made me feel like I could turn this new passion into a career.

Starting my own business and empowering women was all I could talk about for months! I set up free photo shoots for anyone and everyone who would let me. Doing boudoir was awe-inspiring for both me and my client friends. Empowering women empowered me! Looking back on those early shoots, you can see my passion and my drive through the images. Of course, I am my biggest critic. I had a long way to go before I was successful at boudoir photography, but I was determined. I would continue to grow both as a person and as a photographer.

Buzz Interviews Alice D of Ms Alice Inspires

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An entrepreneur, a motivational speaker, certified effective business writer, and blogger, Alice Dele has committed herself to guide others towards greater fulfillment in their lives. She serves as a mentor to young women nationwide, emphasizing the viability of their dreams and the enormity of their potential.

Buzz Interviews Jaelyn Barnes of OneStar

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My journey can be linked all the way backed to music. Growing up, I actually had a strong disinterest in fashion. I felt as if it was unnecessary and as long as the clothing did what it was created for that’s all that mattered. Entering my sophomore year of high school I found myself listening to more music than ever before. With music becoming more involved with fashion I became captivated with not only these artist’ music, but the way they dressed. As time went on I was heavily influenced by XXXTentacion, someone who’s music I could relate too, and A$AP Rocky who was a prominent figure in fashion along with rap. A fire inside me was lit and I wanted to find a way to leave my own trace in fashion. Where to start and how were questions that I couldn’t solve until my senior year of high school.
During my junior year, I met a guy named Carson who I connected really well with through basketball. Over time Carson and I became brothers in the sense of how strong our friendship had become. Around this time I was really frustrated with myself because I felt my life was becoming too stagnant and unproductive. I began buying patches, fabric markers, and even shoes so I could have something to work on. My designs started out honestly terrible and heavily influenced to the point where it looked copied but of course with repetition I gradually got better. One day an idea just sprouted into my head saying, “If you love clothing so much and want to truly invest in something, why not create your own brand?”. The thought was genius to me and became something I yearned to do. How was I going to start a brand just by myself? The idea seemed far fetched to me so I thought of who could possibly tackle this with me.
A solution arose almost simultaneously as the problem presented itself. The only person who matched my determination, love for the industry, and I connected well with was Carson. It was as if this was set in stone from the beginning. After agreeing it was something we truly wanted to pursue the next step was a name and we sided with OneStar. I wanted a name that is under normal circumstances negative, but instead used in a positive manner. From then on we’ve never let off the breaks. I’m still a student in the world of fashion but with every passing day I learn new techniques, history, and ways to improve our own brand.

Buzz Interviews Madeline of Engineering A Home

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I grew up as the baby of eight kids in rural New Mexico on a hobby farm full of goats and horses. My mom was a jack of all trades. She plumbed. She was a woodworker. She gardened. She cooked. She ran her own law practice, and she did all of this while raising us by herself. She died when I was 15, but her independent nature, doer attitude, and affinity for learning practical skills had a lasting impression on me.

After graduating high school, I attended engineering school in New Mexico where I obtained my Environmental Engineering degree. It was the most practical degree I could think of. Engineering, as an area of study, is intricate and challenging and the creative problem-solving aspect is what I was so looking forward to in the workplace. That wasn’t exactly what I found immediately in my industry, so after two years, I realized that I hadn’t found my purpose. I felt lost and like I was wading through knee-deep mud every day. This led to a lot of introspection and trying to understand who I was at my core, which inevitably led me back to the 13-year old watching my mother tinker away on old, battered furniture in her workshop.

I had always been a hands-on type of learner, and my family will tell you that I have always chosen the path of greatest resistance. I learn best through doing (and sometimes failing) rather than listening to someone who might already know the answer. It’s something that used to frustrate me about myself, but that I’ve grown to value and I think it’s what makes the world of home renovation and DIY such a passion for me.

Shortly after arriving in Arizona, I purchased my first home and the projects started. I started documenting my DIY home renovation projects on Instagram and people from all over the world started sharing their own projects with me, asking me for pointers, sharing what they had learned, and others began letting me know that they couldn’t wait to start their own projects or buy their first home after seeing that they could do it too. It felt really amazing knowing that I was showing young adults that being self-sufficient was completely achievable. Whether you’re a single woman fixing up her first house like me, or a married father of three, or a couple of twenty-something roommates, you can build and invest and accomplish more than you ever thought you could. Through Instagram, I found a community of doers that understood why every paint drop and sawdust pile felt like gold to me and I am so grateful for that.

Buzz Interviews Keanon Kyles of Voice with Keanon

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Like a lot of singers I first started singing in church but I feel I really got immersed in a plethora of music at the early age of 8 when my mother enrolled me in the Chicago Children’s Choir. Here is where I developed a strong interest for the classical and opera genre. While in the Chicago Children’s Choir, my parents also enrolled me in an apprenticeship program with the City of Chicago called Gallery 37. This program gave youth of Chicago an opportunity to study an art form and get paid while doing it. Of course, I decided to partake in the Operatics Ensemble, which is where I met my vocal coach, mentor and who I call today, my musical father; Andrew Schultze. Once it was time for me to graduate from high school and pick a college, Columbia College Chicago really stood out to me, so I applied and got accepted. Now it was time for me to become a professional at an art form I’d loved since the age of 8. Most students at Columbia were musical theater or jazz majors so I did feel a wee odd during my time there as my focus was Opera. Fortunately, the teachers respected, appreciated and nurtured my talent and made me feel supported in my decision to focus on Opera.

When I did my Senior Recital and looked out into a packed audience, it was in that moment that I said,” You know what, Keanon this is for you and where you need to be–you can really have a career as an opera singer”. Though that was a very powerful and positive thought leaving out of Columbia; reality set in. What reality you may ask, well, the one a lot of college students feel as they walk across that stage and get their degree but don’t have a job lined up after graduation. In the time span of a walk across stage, I went from a high to a low because I realized I have this paper that proves I’m worthy but no job. So, out of all things, believe it or not, I got a job as janitor for ABC 7 Eyewitness News.

Don’t wipe your eyes, you definitely read it correctly, from music school graduate to janitor. Confused I was but determined that this will only be a year, you know, just until I get on my feet. Well, a year turned into nearly 10 years of working as a janitor at the new station. The first 2 years I was in a real funk and just confused about life and my choice to study music. However, I had a stern talk with my mentor and he motivated me to keep striving for what I want, so I decided to seek Young Artist Programs. I got accepted into a few but they were very expensive so the determined person in me took on 2 part-time jobs on top of my full-time nightside janitor position in order make enough money to cover my living expenses and pay for these programs. After calculating- I realized for 4 years straight I worked 80 to 90 hours a week between all 3 jobs. #teamnosleep

One day while vacuuming at the station the 10 p.m. news producer at the time, Lisa McGonigle stopped and asked if I had any weekend plans and I told her I was doing a small recital and she’s more than welcome to come if she’d like. To my surprise she did and from that moment my life and career changed for ever. She got Frank Mathie (former ABC 7 feature reporter) to do a story on me and once it aired, people from all over the world were inviting me to sing for them. From Europe to South America I have been performing in famous Operas by composers like Puccini, Britten and Verdi, singing primary and lead roles. However, even though I had quit both part-time gigs by then, I was still working full-time at the news station in between performance. That is until, Chicago Opera Theater offered me a contract and I decided to take the leap of faith. I officially quit my full-time job and decided to go after my passion and dreams. Since then so many doors have opened for me, I’ve sung with Lyric Opera of Chicago, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, made my South America debut as Noye in Noye’s Fludde and made my Carnegie Hall solo debut and the doors continue opening. My goodness, a journey it has been for sure and if I can say anything, I’d say, the road will be bumpy, journey will be long but never lose, faith, hope and love, with love being the greatest of them all.

Buzz Interviews Imari Craft of YMagazine & Craft Creative Agency

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I started YMagazine in 2017 while I was attending the Art Institute of Chicago. Through that time I developed my brand through different channels trying to get familiar with all medias of art and marketing skills. I soon created a website where I blogged about different artist, creatives in the Chicago community who didn’t get a lot of spotlight for their talent due to their lack of popularity in the city. I learned a lot about myself throughout this time one thing I learned and took into full force was that I enjoyed the interactions I had and getting to know those throughout this journey of growing my brand. I decided to release the magazine with as many creatives as I could and tell their story through photographic images set in ways that contributes to all aspects of the different elements of art or being an artist/creative. YMagazine hosted an event July 19th, 2020 entitled “Spring In The Summertime” where the art installed event contributed to showcasing the first released magazine. I loved putting together the event seeing something come to life then bringing different crowds together to take in a place empowering each other. Today I’m planning the next magazine and event release for this year, but with everything going on some things are at a pause. I am working on new things that I want featured at this next event to show what else everyone could be seeing from my brand. I’m really looking forward to the next chapters of this I see it going far and I will keep working to make that happen.

Buzz Interviews Danielle LaVon of To Dee Moon Publishing

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I was going through a time in my life where I needed direction. I had recently lost my daughter in a car accident, and I was trying to figure out how to navigate through life without her. I quit my job and started writing, and I was trying to get organized so I bought a planner to help me. I ended up buying three different planners that didn’t quite help me with what I needed. So I decided to create my own. The idea was initially just for me to design my own planner, but after a few friends saw mine, they encouraged me to publish it. I searched for help but eventually published it myself, thus establishing my own publishing company, To Dee Moon Publishing. People started coming to me for advice and help when they wanted to publish their own projects. I helped a few but never for profit. Then in 2018 two friends encouraged me to actually pursue this as a business. One of those friends, Deletria Battle, became my business partner and is a vital part of the company. Together we have been publishing since 2018. I have published over 10 books and four planners. This year I released my first novel, The DeeTales: Hindsight is 2020.

Buzz Interviews Morgan Powell of Morgan’s Mini Cheesecakery

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As some may know, food plays a huge part during family holiday gatherings, so I wasn’t qualified to make the main dishes. So I chose to work my way up in the dessert department. That’s when I made my first lemon meringue pie. Needless to say it was a hit. So every holiday I would make lemon meringue pie, then came peach cobbler and banana pudding and anything I could make to be apart. Mother’s Day 2014, was when I made my first cheesecake. My grandma loved it! So from then I did much research to concoct the perfect cheesecake. I never liked cheesecake, so I went through many trials to perfect a recipe to my liking and to those non cheesecake lovers. I have tried to venture out and make cakes and cupcakes but they are horrible. So I will stick to what I know. I originally made whole 9 inch Cheesecakes but I still wasn’t satisfied with putting that out to the world. So I thought instead of whole ones let’s make them mini. You get the same satisfaction but less calories. A guilty pleasure without the guilt. Family and friends always bragged about how good my Cheesecakes were and I started getting lots of requests for birthday parties, potlucks etc. In 2018, I decided to take a leap of faith and put myself out there. I perfected my craft and was ready to take entrepreneurship head on. It took much brainstorming but I finally picked a name. In October 2018 Morgan’s Mini Cheesecakery was born.

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Buzz Interviews Ariel Imani

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My journey began in the church. I grew up in a church on the Southside of Chicago called Salem Baptist Church and I would watch my mother and her friends sing, lead worship, play instruments, etc. Growing up I spent quite a bit of my time in church every week in rehearsals on Tuesday, bible study on Wednesday, and regular church service on Sunday. For a while it wasn’t just one service on Sunday’s but we would have three separate services on Sunday and my mother would more than likely have to sing at all three. This is how my gift was cultivated and shaped. I am always grateful to the one’s back home who invested in me musically. When they noticed that there was something more in me that I had to offer to this world, they made sure I was involved musically in some kind of way. As much as we went to church you would think that my upbringing was strict to gospel music but no I have a pretty chill mom who LOVED her some R&B music. She’s the reason why I fell so deeply in love with it. However, the journey does not end there. I was blessed to have the opportunity to attend Chiarts(Chicago high school for the Arts) for two years, a performing arts high school in Chicago. This was completely out of my comfort zone and exposed me to a whole new world in music, learning styles like classical, baroque, and renaissance. My life was dedicated to becoming a better vocalist and musician overall and a lot of credit goes to that time period in my life!

Buzz Interviews Andy Garcia of No Application Fee

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Gil and I met in 7th grade band class at Indian Ridge Middle School in El Paso, TX 2005… I believe? We started learning to play guitar around the same time and immediately knew we wanted to start a band and run to California with our dream. A couple years later, No Application Fee was born.
We made it though High School playing backyards and quinceañeras, and the short time we spend in College, at UTEP, is when we really started playing. El Paso was much, much smaller back then, so there were only a handful of venues and people in the scene. We went hard for a couple of years and decided it was time to get out of Chuco before we got into anymore trouble.
In 2013 we got to Long Beach with damn near no money, no jobs, no connections, nothing.